4009 Chapter 9. Yellow jacket

Chapter 9.

Back inside the Tall Pine trees.

Kola’ he said his name was stopped just ahead of the tall tree line, making both of us unsure stopping and looking ahead seeing what he was doing, standing just moving the lantern from the ground to his shoulder. Slowly and weary both of us moved up next to him seeing in the ground another hole, almost like the one we found before, only this one had a much bigger opening more like a drain pipe, with a square plate sitting next to it.

“You two go down here first!”He spoke with a grunt holding the lantern over the opening. Gee he spoke more words and was pointing to the hole next to his feet, Mike moved up to the opening looking down more like just peaking over the edge than really looking down, of course I just had to look for myself, all I could see was a big hole with a metal ladder to its side. Decayed rusty metal with hardly any paint left just cracking and falling off this hasn’t been used in a long time, wondering if this was some secret place the government used just like in the movies or was this Kola person some part of a throw back from the government project or just maybe he was dropped off to live out he in the woods living off the land away from people. Being his was dirty and I don’t think he washed in a long time his smell like a dried up fish on the dock baking in the sun for a few days gave that away real quickly.

Grabbing out at Mikes Jacket just in time as he almost, slipped inside head first looking to far over that shaft.

“Woo that was a Close one” Mike replied.

“Well you almost went down faster than you wanted too”

“You’re right but what do we do?”

“Hell if I Know Mike”

“What about you?” Mike remarked outward with a crystal-clear question staring up to Kola.

“It’s Late we must go now!” Kola remarking: harshly back holding the lamp over the hole.

Sending me those shivers up again.

“What the hell kind of answer is that?” I asked looking up at him.

“Well Shawn what’ Choice do we have?”

“We can still find our way out of here!”

“Where, What’ pathway is out?”

“There’s got to be another way Mike?”

“Well I’ don’t see one”

“Let’s just go back to the tree’s will find another way out”

“Where’s your Discovery’ Shawn?”

“Discovery’ I’ just want to go home, I’m just not too sure about this Mike”

Mike stood looking at the hole then over to Kola and back to me, that look gave it away; I just knew he was going down that hole. After his grand adventure for him to see something new something to explore, he started down feet first just as his head almost cleared the top he paused looking up at me, that one look of don’t let me go alone’ Shawn. Well I sure wasn’t staying up here and let him get all the glory, just in case he found a way out.  Kola standing there motioning to me with the Lantern.

“Mike”

“Come On Shawn” Mike Hollered up.

“Ok’ Ok” Slowly I was moving down the ladder, one rail at a time, looking upward every other step down seeing Kola started down as soon as my head cleared the top; just missing my hand with his big foot, then before I could look down to Mike hearing above metal moving. Mike probably wishing we didn’t come down here now! Just above the lantern was moving side to side with every step he took down, moving back next to Mike reaching the bottom we both moved back near the wall. Kola taking his last step we could feel the ground shake beneath, turning holding the lamp giving us another look over with a grunt sound, watching the paint chips fall off him and then another grunt before he started moving down some sort of pathway cut out in the rock and dirt.

Following but still keeping are distance into the darkness gleaming with the lantern shining like glass off the walls, Mike felling the walls for any water running down the side not feeling any, Kola stopped just ahead holding the lantern to one side.

“What he stop for ‘Shawn?”

“A Door in the rock”

“Can you see anything else?”

“No he doing something but I can’t make it out”

Mike held back getting closer to me, gee maybe he was getting scared now right next to my side, looking over at me more than the door we both watch it slowly opening with a push from his foot to the bottom while his free hand pushing hard near the edge opening inward holding the lantern up high just inside.

We both looking to see what was inside when he motioned with his head swinging it back and forth to go inside; Mike was almost frozen standing in his tracks. Why now he should have thought about that before we came this far, so good old me had to lead the way past Kola and of course Mike right behind me till we got inside stepping off to right side of the door slowly looking around at this wide open room.

It was a big room alright cut out from the earth, old mining shaft with beams crossing the top and along the sides more like tree limbs not squared off but just as they were taken down, looking around the room we both could see even some furniture couches and chairs, with tables on each side they too were all made from tree branches or stumps. Suddenly the dim lights of another lantern just off to one side of us was a young boy staring at us, this again sent my arm hairs raising again with a chill, we both stood still intensely watching him as he ran around a table than into a darker area, and was gone!.

“Hey’ Wait!” I said outward: checking over the area he went.

Mike slowly making his way looking around, stopping at the couch, all of a sudden the small kid popped out from the darken area giving me a big spooky feeling of a hunted house, drawing Mikes attention away from Kola, Motioning to me to come over, this kid was holding two small cans, spilling something over the tops onto his hands.

“Here’d Thirsty?” The boy asked, trying not to spill any more. Thirsty that was an understatement too long without something to drink just eating snow made you more thirstier, reaching out taking one while Mike looked at it before taking the other one, looking inside it was more like mud water in old rusted cans, another loud grunt sound behind us quickly turning seeing Kola locking the door with some sort of key before turning glaring at us not saying anything just stood there looking and then started moving right at us.

Stopping just in front of us and grunted again sitting down in the log chair. Maybe that’s his way of talking with grunt sounds looking back to the little boy standing still pointing to the couch nodding to Mike just off staring to that no where place, he looked down then we both sat down easy on the log couch, keeping an eye on Kola waiting for something out of him beside another grunt, holding this can spilling some of it on my hand. No cushions just tree logs length wise, Mike followed sitting on the other end cap, avoiding a log sticking upward with a knot the size of a golf ball.

“Who are you?” The small boy asked, smiling assessing us pouncing in the middle just ahead of the knot, we both just looked down at him. “Hard butt’ on that kid!” remarking while grinning at Mike. “Who are you and where are we, what is this place?” Mike Asked: waiting for an answer without get any response from him when a small head popped up from behind another chair across from us, another young boy.

Mike started glaring at Kola then in a harsher voice asked, “Who are you and where are we?”

Kola replied in a firmed voice getting up from the chair, “This is where you will stay!”

“What!” Mike quickly asked.

Kola rose up from the chair not even looking at us just turning away not saying anything just walking towards the door. Bring both our attention back to the chair seeing that little head popping back up looking over at us while the little boy sat between us just looking back and forth over us.

“What’s your name?” Mike’ Asking, staring over at the chair.

The little boy slowly moving around to the front he was only about eight maybe seven, dirty with raggedy pair of bluish shorts and a tee shirt, barefoot, just like Joey when he’s outside to playing in the dirt piles.

“That’s, Chris, but he don’t talk much”

“How long have you been here?” Mike asked.

“What’s your name?” looking down asking the little boy.

“Josh” he quickly remarked back, just as he started to say something closed his mouth tightly looking over by the doorway. Turning quickly over where he was staring, Kola had just came back into the room stopping looking all over the room for something before returning looking at us. His Glassy eyes glaring around the room again, slowly sitting down again in the chair; resting his head towards the back of the chair almost more like laying down in it.

“Hey what’s your game and where are we?” Mike inquired.

The small boy already hiding behind the chair again, Kola head rose a little staring at Mike; those eyes would roll around the room like he was looking for someone or something when Josh motioned to the small boy peaking around to come over, it took a few times but he motioning no and stayed by the chair.

Josh sat slowly touching then pulling on my jacket, looking down at him with him looking up at me and down to the jacket that was all it took untying it, before I could even move up a little he was already try to pull it out from behind me. Holding it tight looking it over mostly at the bright Yellow strip on the front part moving his hand up and down it then casting his eyes up and said “This is nice”

Mike sat there looking back and forth around the room and back to Kola, Chris came rushing over to us standing in front of Josh, while Josh was now trying to put the jacket on, Chris looked over at Mike and down at his jacket, Mike looked down at him then over at me with that look again why?.

“What you want my jacket now’ here take it” releasing it from his waist handing it to him. Chris slowly took it holding it not sure to take it or not glancing over to Josh then up to Mike finely trying to put it on as Josh Did, trying hard not to laugh knowing they were way too big for either of them still they pulling up at the sleeves to see their fingers, finely seeing a small smile from this little kid Josh.

Being so absorbed with the two kids, when a long grunting sound drew our alertness back to Kola sleeping, Josh put his hand to his lips as to signal shhh! Slowly he slid off the logs motioning to Chris to sit there, picking up the muck water cans that we never even tried to drink, taking them back to were ever he got them, returning holding the jacket tightly closed with his little fingers just poking outward, moving his hand outward all the way out placing his finger to his Lip.

While back at the cabin.

The game room was reopened just before 9:00 pm. Campers were already coming in finding out about the weather and what was going on the rescue crews here. Parents talked among themselves while the kids were off playing game to one side. Helen checking making sure everyone had something warm to drink with a snacks, while most everyone was looking over the tape, Joey and Jamie standing pointing seeing them self’s on TV, then to Shawn and Mike when they appeared on screen, Lloyd marking the time down on a small note pad; when the boys appeared.

Stopping the tape for the Rescue crews to get a good look at both boys and what they were wearing before being missing. Lloyd and Lieutenant Rosenberg set up a TV and recorder in the game room on a roll around stand, Lloyd fast forward it to the time he wrote down freeze framing for Shawn and Mike. Campers were gathering around looking at the TV.

Lieutenant Rosenberg with a loud bang on the table getting everyone’s attention, standing along rescue workers next to him, bringing the group to quite.

“Can I get your attrition please, looks like everyone’s here already so were going to go ahead with the meeting so you folks know what’s going on outside with the weather and also we have two lost boys out there in this snow, We’ve gone over some of the tapes from today, where looking for these two teenage boys, with your help we might be able to get some clues as when they could have come up missing, ‘Now I know you all want to know what the weather condition are so will brief you on that also”

Lieutenant Rosenberg with a load bang on the table getting everyone’s attention again, standing along with rescue workers next to him, bringing the group to quite.

“Folk’s this is what we got, It’s going to be at least six degrees below before this storm let’s up, so we’re talking of at least a foot and a half of snow on the ground, Roads are being cleared but everyone has been ask not to drive unless necessary so they can get the roads clear, that’s what we have right now, will let you know if there’s any changes to the road condition as soon as we know, Now Folks please look at the Screen and if you have any information on these two boys please let one of us know and if anybody would like to help please see the Team rescue leader, Thank You for your time”.

A small group of campers stayed by looking over the maps and asking question of what they could do to help out.

Lloyd sat there taking in all that was said, getting up from his chair, away from the crowd to the telephone dialing out.

“Hey Nick, Lloyd, here. I’m out at the campground, and we’ve lost two boys tonight.”

“I’ll be out there in a couple hours. What’s been done so far and what time frame are we looking at?” Nick Replied.

“About four hours estimated, snowmobile’s are out looking”

“Ok, it will take me a little time to get there, Reach me on my mobile unit – same as last time?” Nick asked in a curious tone.

“No these two are Boy’s just a little older” Lloyd Stated.

Mike Sr. stood just nearby watching taking in everything being said on the phone but just making out some of Nick talking on the phone.

“Mr. Loren, right? Come over here let me explain!”

The two walked away from the others into the long hallway to the store, standing next to the big window.

“We had two girls, lost back in the summer of 91, only one had been found and the other was never found!” Lloyd said softly.

“What? “ Loren said out in a raised voice.”

“Calm down, Please’ It’s only a matter of time, we’ll find the boys ok? We have more of a chance finding them, then if it were summer, because of the snow.” Lloyd said with one arm on Mr. Loren shoulder, nodding his head ok; looking down the hallway.

“Ok, both had lunch so they’re not real hungry yet. They’re dressed for the cold.” Lloyd remarking trying hard to assure him.

Helen walked up the hallway to both of them handing each of them a cup of coffee.

“Here’s some coffee, you’re new to camping?”

“Our first time here, Thank You’ for the Coffee.” while sipping on the small foam cup.

“Things will work out, you just hang in there.”

Helen calmly nodded to Lloyd and walked back to the game room.